“Any Other Way”

In 1962, the Nashville-born, Toronto-based singer Jackie Shane released “Any Other Way,” a slow-burning, soulful cover of William Bell and Chuck Jackson’s R&B hit. Even though her take ended up being a minor radio success, Shane—a transgender woman who performed in drag at the city’s busiest clubs —would remain mostly unknown outside of Canada throughout her career. After relocating to Los Angeles with her band in the early 1970s, and turning down an offer to join George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic, she disappeared from the public spotlight.

Multiple radio and TV documentaries have attempted in recent years to chronicle the elusive singer’s life, and now, the archival label Numero Group is releasing the first Shane-approved compilation of her work. “Any Other Way” is the jewel of the collection. Over exultant horns and waltzing keyboards, Shane’s clarion voice rings out, flipping the original’s forlorn message to an ex-lover (“Tell her that I’m happy/Tell her that I’m gay”) with a knowing wink. Fifty-five years later, it still sounds utterly triumphant, a fitting anthem by an artist who had no shortage of confidence.